The Burt Bacharach Forum has upgraded to phpBB3

[mark]

In case you didn't realize it, the server that bacharachonline.com was hosted on was hacked over the last couple of weeks. While hackers typically just put up a new index to mark their accomplishment, it looks like they also may have used my email account to spam the world. Just for the record, the hacking took place at the server level and not through my account. There were apparently other sites hosted on the same server that were hacked and my admin has no idea how they were getting in.

That wouldn't have been too bad in and of itself, but then they managed to hack the Bacharach discussion forum yesterday. That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Since then, I have moved the entire site to a new server and I also took the opportunity to upgrade the software running the discussion board from phpBB 2 to phpBB 3.

Obviously, it's a big change and it will take some getting used to, but I think I was able to transfer all the contents of the old board to this board and I feel confident that this board will be more secure and offer us more functions and usefulness than the old board did.

I'd be interested in hearing everybody's reactions. If you particularly like or dislike something about this board or if you have a suggestion, please send me a private message or an email at webmaster at bacharachonline dot com.

Again, sorry for all the weirdness and downtime lately.

[Steve Schenck]

I just want to say "thanks!", Mark, for taking the time and making the effort to keep this board up, running, of high quality, and protected. It's so refreshing to be able to interact with others who have experienced and who appreciate Burt's genius. Thanks again for all you do for the rest of us. Steve Schenck

[An Enormous BB Fan]

Mark, I've come here a few times and seen what the hackers did. So I'm so glad that you've moved everything to a safer environment. And, yes, thanks again for the time and effort you put into this great site for all of us fans of Burt and his musical genius.

[blueonblue]

Steve, Enormous,
I couldn't agree more !!!
Thanks Mark, for this truly wonderful website !!!

"blue"

[nymusicalsguy]

Mark, on the event of the Maestro's 80th, a big, hearty THANK YOU for all the years of care and effort expended on this board. And now it's truly looking better than ever!! All best, Joe

[alfalfa59]

You are the man - thanks!

[nowmedical]

Certainly looks very trendy now. If it keeps the hackers and Russian porn (remember last year) out, fine! How do you cover the costs of hosting the site, Mark?

[mark]

Trendy? Ha ha. I don't know about that. I think it's more about my not knowing how to change the default style than it is about trendiness...

Again, I really appreciate everybody's patience. I tend to just sort of let the site run by itself for long periods and then something happens that forces me to have to re-learn all the stuff I'd forgotten in the interim. In this case, it was hackers accessing the old server. I still need to read up on how to prevent them from getting into the new server. I'm not sure I'm as safe as I thought I was. Hackers are clever.

As for all the porn posts, that was again a case of my slackness. Spammers had designed bots that could "read" phpBB2's image verification system, enabling them to register and post porn spam in every discussion forum running phpBB2 around the world. In order to stop those spam registrations, I installed a mod that asked the registrant a simple question (in this case it was "What is Burt Bacharach's first name?") Since the bots didn't expect a question, they couldn't answer the question and thus couldn't register. End of spam.

This new version of phpBB has a better (ie more difficult to decipher) image verification system, so as of yet I haven't had to install any mods to make it more difficult for bots to register. But based on past experience, it's only a question of time before those clever spammers design a bot capable of bypassing phpBB3's image verification and sharing with us once again their bounty of porno.

As for how much the site costs, it's really amazingly reasonable. My web host gives me a good annual deal, the cost of the domain is nominal and the revenues generated through the Amazon link usually cover my annual out of pocket expenses. If they could only cover the hours I spend trying to fix the site when it breaks, I'd be in pretty good shape

[Peter Greenhill]

Mark,thanks for all your work in keeping the site going.

Pete

[tbacharach]

In case you didn't realize it, the server that bacharachonline.com was hosted on was hacked over the last couple of weeks. While hackers typically just put up a new index to mark their accomplishment, it looks like they also may have used my email account to spam the world. Just for the record, the hacking took place at the server level and not through my account. There were apparently other sites hosted on the same server that were hacked and my admin has no idea how they were getting in.

That wouldn't have been too bad in and of itself, but then they managed to hack the Bacharach discussion forum yesterday. That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Since then, I have moved the entire site to a new server and I also took the opportunity to upgrade the software running the discussion board from phpBB 2 to phpBB 3.

Obviously, it's a big change and it will take some getting used to, but I think I was able to transfer all the contents of the old board to this board and I feel confident that this board will be more secure and offer us more functions and usefulness than the old board did.

I'd be interested in hearing everybody's reactions. If you particularly like or dislike something about this board or if you have a suggestion, please send me a private message or an email at webmaster at bacharachonline dot com.

Again, sorry for all the weirdness and downtime lately.

I think you do a fine job with the site...kudos to you, and sorry to hear about the hackers.